Chrysanthemum plant named `Bronze Majesty`

ABSTRACT

A new Chrysanthemum cultivar named Bronze Majesty characterized by the combined features of flat capitulum form, daisy capitulum type, bronze floret color, capitulum diameter of 66-76 mm, a response period of 59-63 days when grown with 14 long days prior to start of short days, a plant height of 90-100 cm, and an inverted pyramid flower formation.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar named Bronze Majesty.

Bronze Majesty is a mutation of Majesty which originated from a crossmade by the inventor Barrie J. Machin in a controlled breeding programin Fareham, England in 1986. The parent cultivar is disclosed inapplication Ser. No. 08/139,009, now U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,944.

Bronze Majesty is a product of a mutation induction program carried outby the inventor in Fareham, England. The program had the objective ofcreating new cultivars that would expand the ray floret color range ofMajesty, which has very light pink ray floret color.

Bronze Majesty was discovered and selected by Barrie J. Machin in April1988 in Wareham, England as one flowering plant within a flowering blockestablished as rooted cuttings from plants of Majesty that had beenexposed as unrooted cuttings to an X-ray source of 1500 rads.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Bronze Majesty was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in June1988 in a controlled environment in Fareham, England by Barrie J.Machin.

Horticultural examinations of controlled flowerings of successiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed from Bronze Majesty are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Bronze Majesty has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsof Bronze Majesty grown in Fareham, England under greenhouse conditionswhich approximate those generally used in commercial greenhousepractice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Bronze Majesty which in combinationdistinguish this Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar.

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Daisy capitulum type.

3. Bronze ray floret color.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of 66-76 mm when fully open.

5. Flowering response under normal temperatures is 59 to 63 days afterstart of short days.

6. Peduncle length of the first lateral at flowering after removal ofthe apical bud and without growth regulator applications is 9.0 cm, andthe peduncle length of the fourth lateral at flowering is 12.0 cm.

7. Plant height of 90-100 cm.

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence andleaf characteristics of Bronze Majesty, with the colors being as nearlytrue as possible with illustrations of this type.

The color photograph on sheet 1 illustrates flower and foliage colors ofBronze Majesty grown as a cut spray mum.

The black and white photo on sheet 2 illustrates three views of theinflorescence of Bronze Majesty.

The black and white photo on sheet 3 shows the upper and under surfacesof the leaves of Bronze Majesty at three stages of development.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor the most similar incomparison to Bronze Majesty is the unpatented cultivar identified asBronze Marble. Reference is made to attached chart A which comparescertain characteristics of Bronze Majesty with the same characteristicsof Bronze Marble. Similar traits are capitulum form and type, responseand spray formation. The bronze ray floret color of Bronze Majesty issubstantially darker than Bronze Marble, and Bronze Majesty has aslightly smaller capitulum diameter, is slightly shorter and has shorterpeduncles.

In comparison to the parent cultivar Majesty, the ray floret color ofBronze Majesty is completely different, Bronze Majesty has a slightlysmaller capitulum diameter, and the plant height of Bronze Majesty isslightly shorter. All other characteristics are the same or comparable.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Color Chart. The color values were determined onplant material of Bronze Majesty grown as a single spray cut mum inFareham, England.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv Bronze Majesty.

Commercial.--Daisy spray cut mum.

Inflorescence

A. Capitulum

Form.--Flat.

Type--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--66-76 mm.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general).--Bronze.

Color (upper surface).--24A.

Color (under surface).--23B.

Shape.--Broad, pointed and slightly curved.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--13A.

Color (immature).--143C.

Quantity.--Approximately 200 per flower.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present only on disc florets; small quantity of pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present in disc and ray florets.

Plant

A. General appearance:

Height.--90-100 cm.

Branching pattern.--Regular branching habit, typically one branchdeveloping per leaf axil.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

Shape.--Pinnately lobed with deep marginal indentations; see photographon sheet 3.

                  CHART A                                                         ______________________________________                                                       BRONZE       BRONZE                                            CHARACTERISTICS                                                                              MAJESTY      MAJESTY                                           ______________________________________                                        Ray floret color                                                                             Bronze       Light Bronze                                      Capitulum form flat daisy   flat/daisy                                        and type                                                                      Diameter across                                                                              66-76 mm     70-80 mm                                          face of capitulum                                                             Plant height   90-100 cm    95-105 cm                                         Peduncle length                                                               1st lateral    9 cm         11 cm                                             4th lateral    12 cm        14 cm                                             Spray formation                                                                              Inverted pyramid                                                                           Inverted pyramid                                  ______________________________________                                    

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named BronzeMajesty, as described and illustrated.